1.
Drone Survey
Air Survey Section
SGO Air Survey

2.
Introduction to Drone
 A drone survey refers to the use of a drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV), to capture aerial data with downward-facing sensors, such as RGB
or multispectral cameras, and LIDAR payloads

3.
Drone Mission Process at MLMR
 Drone Survey Request/Approval (DGIM)
 Flight Plan and Logistics
 NOTAM Application CAAF
 Surveyor places GCP/CP pegs
 Drone Flight
 Processing the Images Pix4D
 Capture Using ArcGIS
 Structure, Transport, etc
 Produce Reports
 Deliver Product

4.
Air Survey Coordinate System
 Flight Coordinate System
 Coordinate data recorded in Image
 Default horizontal system usually WGS84 Lat and Long (in degrees)
 Default Vertical usually EGM96 MSL reference ellipsoid (in meters)
 Ground Coordinate System
 Coordinate System which Ground Control Points are usually defined
 Usually different from Image reference system
 Fiji Map Grid
 Output Coordinate System
 If you are using Control Points it will project to the same
 The default will be WGS 84

5.
Impacts of an incorrect Specification
 Products could be misaligned wrt Base Map (Horizontal Reference Error)
 Computed Surfaces above or below terrain. Products could be invisible due
to being obscured by terrain layer (vertical Reference Error)

6.
Coordinate System

7.
 Global Gravity Potato (“Geiod”)
 Used to define vertical
coordinate
 Equipotencial Models with names
like EGM96 EGM 2008 GEIOD12
 Reason for separate Horizontal
and vertical systems
 Horizontal Position is defined wrt
ellipsoid
 Vertical Position is defined wrt
ellipsoid or geiod
 MSL Elevation is define as
perpendicular from geiod not
ellipsoid
Geoid and ellipsoid high can
differ by >30m

8.
Flight Run
and
Images
Captured

9.
GCP &
CP

10.
Control Points and Check Points

11.
Transformation: WGS84 to FMG

12.
Point Cloud:

13.
Digital Surface Model

14.
Digital Terrain Model

15.
Orthomosaic:

16.
Structure:
Plotted using
ArcGIS (But
captured from the
Ortho Photo)

17.
Roads:
Plotted using
ArcGIS (But
captured from the
Ortho Photo)

18.
Electric
Poles
Plotted using
ArcGIS (But
captured from the
Ortho Photo)

19.
Drains:
Plotted using
ArcGIS (But
captured from the
Ortho Photo)

20.
Contour
Lines:
Generated From Pix4D
using Digital Surface
Model and the Digital
Terrain Model.
0.5 meters
1 meters
2 meters
5 meters
10 meters

21.
Spot
Heights
Using ArcGIS we got
the spot heights from
the Digital Surface
Model

22.
Flooding Animation:

23.
Volume Calculation

24.
Reports and Data
Reports
 With Drone processing software
we can easily obtain a processing
report
 Report will state orientations,
projections, accuracy, etc.
 2021_10_Naboro_report.pdf
 2021_10_Waidamudamu(DLOCE)_
report.pdf
Data Types
 CAD
 DWG
 DWG
 Shape
 GeoTiff, JPEG, PNG
 3D Tiff
 Etc

25.
Quality Control

26.
End Product

27.
7 Detail
Topographic
Survey

28.
Summary
 Drones provide a more complete picture of the work being done.
With a drone, topographic surveys can be developed of the same
quality using traditional methods.
 Decreased Field Time and Costs
 Larger sites can take days and sometimes weeks for land surveyors to
compile information using traditional methods. Collecting this same
data via a drone technology saves time. Capturing topographic data
with a drone is up to five times faster than with land-based methods.
 Less Disruptions
 Since drones are capturing data from above, operations on site won’t
be interrupted. Using a drone also requires less manpower. There’s no
need to place multiple specialists at a site when you have a drone to
survey the land. You do not need to close down highways or train
tracks. You can capture data during a project operation using a drone
without disruptions

29.
 More Accurate Data and Precise Measurements
 Drone cameras take a series of high-definition photos at different angles,
creating thousands of accurate data points, including geo-references,
elevation points, and colors. This allows developers to create 3D models of
a site or building. Clients can see more than what a traditional survey
provides. The maps created from using data from a drone can be used to
extract highly accurate distances and volumetric measurements. When a
drone is integrated with surveying land, the data looks more realistic. The
videos and photos taken from the drone are a great resource for clients
and the public when a new commercial project is in the works.
 Maps Inaccessible Areas
 Land surveying can be a dangerous job. Drone surveys eliminate the
need for surveyors to traverse unknown terrain. This helps avoid high-risk
situations navigating areas such as rail lines or rocky terrains. Drones are
especially useful in gathering data in hard to reach locations or vantage
points that are inaccessible. A drone can fly almost anywhere and can
take on steep slopes and harsh areas unsuitable for traditional measuring
tools.

30.
Vinaka Valevu
The End